Five Sectors
The Human Domain is governed according to the capacities of each of the members of the Five Sectors, sometimes also called the Council of the Five. 'The Five' refers to five sectors of the administrative organization. Each sector is actually a 'division' of the organization itself. Each division is basically a category of starships. The Five Sectors are: #The Grand Surveyor Captain of the Exploration Fleet: The leader of the Exploration Fleet, which itself is responsible for the construction of starships geared for interstellar exploration, communication, and colonization. This person organizes expeditions, commissions provisions for new ones, and maintains the General Archive of the Stars. The Grand Surveyor Captains often received the Great Seal (see below) during the Expansion Era. #The Chairman of the Merchant League: The Director of the Merchant League, which is basically responsible for government-level logistics, collection of tithes, and maintenance of trade routes to colonies independent of Mega-conglomerate influence. Essentially, the Chairman is the Domain's CEO. #The Grand Admiral of the United Armada: A master gunnery chief - educated, experienced, innovative - the Grand Admiral is the supreme commander of the United Armada, the most powerful astrofleet in the Domain, charged with carrying out the complicated business of interstellar war. Some argue that the Admiralty is the most important component of the governing body. During the Admiralty Era, this was taken to heart and Admirals most often received the Seal, a trend which continues for centuries. #The Consul Prima of the FFEL: A decorated general of ground troops, the Consul Prima is the highest ranking officer of the FFEL, the Domain's ground forces, charged with carrying out the conquest and re-conquest of worlds, suppression of hostile elements on a planet, and many many other duties which only boots on the ground can carry out. The Consul Primas generally received the Seal during the Corporate Era, during which time the Domain's efforts focused on consolidating territories gained during the Expansion Era. The most famous and well-remembered Consul Prima was Weyland. #The Leading Architectural Developer of the Engineering Department: Once a branch of equal importance to all the others, the Engineering Department has fallen into a subsidiary role, tasked with research and development of starship technologies of all kinds, supplying the expertise and manpower for the starships, and building specialist craft such as logistics galleons and starbases. These five were joined by the Grandmaster of the Order of the Soaring Eagle until the start of the Kuiper War in Year 8, and starting in Year 146 by the CEO of the Tritach Megacorp. until Year 204 with the defeat of Tritach's fleet in the Dark Matter Crisis War. The Council meets irregularly, according to tradition more so than regulation, and debates issues and settles on solutions to them. These meetings are occasionally joined by Lobbyists from a Mega-conglomerate, Delegates sent from a Colonial Deputy, or Ministers from an Earth country, who have observer status and may occasionally weigh into the discussions. The Great Seal An important part of Human politics revolves around the figure who was given the Great Seal. The person chosen to receive it depends on the situation at hand. Historically, during the expansion era, the Surveyor Captain was given the Seal due to the Human Domain's situation revolving around the need for exploration and colonization. As consolidation became more important, Consul Primas were given the Seal. The Seal can change hands at any time to reflect the circumstances, thus, at least on paper, the best person for the job is always chosen to respond to it. This is a big reason that the army and navy are split into separate organizations, such that the military could not hold too much power. It forces the military leaders to cooperate in wartime, while keeping their mutual interests pliable to the scrutiny of the other three sectors. Despite the 'authoritative powers' associated with holding the Seal, it also comes with certain obligations. A must be delivered annually before every lobbyist, delegate, and particularly the ministers from starfaring nations.